Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; – Philippians 4:6
Today people all across America is celebrating Thanksgiving and this verse came to mind. Paul reminds the believers in Philippi not to worry about anything. He tells them to bring everything to God in prayer and supplication but he doesn’t end there. He adds, “with thanksgiving” and let their request be made known to God.
When Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing,” he is giving a command, not an option. Paul is teaching that fear and anxiety have no place in our lives because the Lord Jesus Himself cares for us. As it is written, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God is the One who provides, protects, and sustains His people. This is the God who “made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that in them is” (Psalm 146:6). He is not bound by time or space. This is also the same God who “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Through His suffering and sacrifice, He broke the power of sin and death forever. If He has already given His own life for us, what need would He ever withhold from us?
Paul closes the chapter with this assurance, “God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Whether our needs are physical, material, or spiritual, the Lord is able to supply everything His people lack. Because God is our Father, we can trust Him completely, resting in His faithfulness, His goodness, and His patience toward us. He will never fail those who put their trust in Him.
Paul understood that in our flesh we are easily troubled by fear, discouragement, and anxiety. This is why he tells us to bring everything to God “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.” The word for prayer is proseuchē, a Greek term that carries the idea of entering a place set apart to meet with God. Paul is inviting us to draw near to the presence of God. Jesus gives the same invitation when He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Paul also uses the word supplication, from the Greek deēsis, which means “need, indigence, want, privation, penury.” In other words, we can pour out our deepest needs, desires, and burdens before our Father. Jesus taught this same truth when He said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11). If earthly parents know how to give good things, how much more will our heavenly Father care for His own?
This is exactly why Paul says, “let your requests be made known unto God.” Whatever the need, bring it to Him. Ask God for everything. God’s “no” is only for the things that would harm us or draw us away from Him. But when something is good, when it is right, when it draws us closer to Him, He will not withhold it. Our Father delights in the prayers of His children.
But there is one part of Paul’s teaching where many of us often fail and that is thanksgiving. We celebrate Thanksgiving once a year in America, but I pray we do not treat our spiritual life that way.
Anyone can pray. Anyone can talk to God and pour out their needs and desires before Him. But when God answers our prayers, do we return to Him with a thankful heart? Do we come back and give Him the glory He deserves? Think about the ten lepers in Luke 17. Jesus healed all ten, yet only one returned to give thanks. The Israelites saw God supply every need in the wilderness, but instead of giving thanks, they complained. This is why the Scripture tells us, “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). A thankful heart is a content heart, because it recognizes the hand of God moving in every part of life.
As I continue my walk with the Lord Jesus, He has been transforming my prayer life and causing it to grow deeper. I no longer spend much of my time asking God for my daily needs the way I once did. My prayers used to be filled with “give me this” and “do this for me.” But through the Lord Jesus, we now have a restored relationship with the Father. He destroyed the power of sin, the very thing that once separated us from God, so we can now come boldly before Him.
I began to study every prayer of the Lord Jesus, and one thing stood out to me is His prayers were filled with thanksgiving. Again and again, He lifted His eyes and said, “Father, I thank thee.”
“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” Luke 10:21
“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” John 11:41“And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed…” John 6:11
As I came to understand that my Father already knows my needs, my prayers began to change. Instead of praying, “Father, give me bread,” my prayer became, “Thank You, Father, for the bread on my table.” My whole prayer life started to sound different. What used to be, “Father, protect me today,” became, “Thank You, Father, for Your protection.” And day by day my prayers turned into simple expressions of gratitude:
“Father, thank You for this day.
Thank You for supplying all my needs.
Thank You for protecting me.
Thank You for loving me.
Thank You for the roof over my head.
Thank You for a healthy body.
Thank You for my family.
Thank You, thank You, thank You.”
God has been so good that my prayers have shifted from wanting more things to wanting more of His presence. And when His presence fills my life, all I can do is give thanks to Him.
Paul’s message is simple for you, You don’t need to be anxious about anything, because you have God. Come to Him. Speak to Him. Tell Him your needs and desires. There is nothing too hard for God and His hands are not short!
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